The Athletic Department is raising money to renovate the weight room. The weight room plays a big part in AHS for its athletes and needs a modernizing upgrade. The goal is to reach $200,000. The fundraising process began in late spring 2021 and $45,840 has been raised so far. 

 The weight room reaches over half the population of students at AHS on a yearly basis:

• Athletic Director Pat McCabe said, “The weight room currently holds about 40 people…with the renovation Mr. Hayes has planned we think that it will hold up to about 80 kids.” 

Athletic teams are growing rapidly, and many teams are using the weight room:

• McCabe said, “Right now our athletic teams are as big as they’ve ever been. Many more athletes are using that weight room than were using it six years ago. You get a lot of people who think it’s primarily for football, although that team is 150 to 160 kids that we’re trying to get in the weight room. But now baseball, lacrosse, basketball boys and girls are using it religiously. The cross country team uses it during their offseason, which is another enormous team with over 100 athletes. So we have a ton of people that have tried to meet their goals that maybe weren’t necessarily (doing that) in whatever year that the weight room was built. So it’s good.”

Equipment and technology has changed:

• Physical education teacher and USA Weightlifting Level 1 Coach Jeremy Hayes said, “In terms of life of the equipment, the weight room was moved into the current room at AHS, in 2004, so nearing 20 years of use. Technology has changed as well as the way weight rooms function….The hope is to create an up to date and functional room that accommodates every student and athlete that wants to use it.”

Why this renovation is important:

• Hayes said, “I think there is importance any time there is an update to school features that students use….Students will also see equipment similar to what they will use in college and the project will also allow our athletes to be more well prepared when they enter into a college weight training program.” 

Why AHS is starting now:

• Hayes said, “The weight room has been a conversation for the past few years. I love our weight room, but it holds a lot of equipment that doesn’t accommodate a large number of students and athletes. There are sometimes capacity issues after school with multiple programs trying to use it at the same time.”

Who has been involved:

• Hayes said, “A big renovation like this costs a lot of money. Coaches have been great about forwarding emails and Mrs. Krause has gone above and beyond to help out Coach Bobzien and I with a few ideas. Mr. McCabe has been really supportive. Parents and community members have been great with the donations we have received, but we aren’t currently near our goal yet.”

You can help donate at:

https://awbo.givingfuel.com/arapahoe-warrior-performance-center 

And at:

https://www.ahswarriors.org/page/3151